


Little Sisters

by ObservationalObsessive



Category: The Greatest Showman (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Phillip Carlyle Needs a Hug, Phillip is a bonus big brother headcanon, Phillip is the best big brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-28 16:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13275588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObservationalObsessive/pseuds/ObservationalObsessive
Summary: “Would you mind if I asked why you buy them so much candy?”Phillip’s instinct was to respond defensively; to tell her that he also bought them pastries and ice cream sometimes so it wasn’t just candy. But he realized that it wasn’t really a defense at all before he even started to say it. Instead, he only grew increasingly confused when he realized that he genuinely didn’t know why he did it. All he knew was that he liked the warm feeling he got in his heart when something he gave them made them so happy.





	Little Sisters

**Author's Note:**

> This idea was inspired by overlycompensatedapprentice on Tumblr. I adore that url, by the way. It's perfect.
> 
> Speaking of names and such... I just changed mine! I was previously EowynPevensie90. So, just to avoid any possible confusion, it’s me but with a new name! ;D

“Phillip, you do know that you’re spoiling those girls, don’t you?”

Anne had asked the question in a light, teasing tone and had clearly not meant a thing by it. That had apparently not mattered very much because Phillip couldn’t stop thinking about it anyway.

It had been one of the nights that the whole Barnum family had come to see a show and they’d stayed for hours afterward. Charity had just chuckled about the girls having stomach aches in the morning when Anne made her comment to Phillip.

There was no question about the fact that P.T.’s girls, Caroline and Helen, had grown to expect Phillip to have candy in his pockets when they saw him. It was true that he almost always kept a few pieces on hand during a show so he could hand them out as the audience left the tent. That was the first defense that came to mind but he had to admit that it wasn’t exactly related.

Phillip always tried to remember to grab a handful before going to see the Barnum family for dinner or a recital and if he didn’t have any then he would go by the shop on his way and buy some. If he knew they were coming to the circus, he made certain that the small dish he kept at his desk was full.

At first, it was a happy surprise to the girls but there was no doubt that they now just knew he would have candy for them. But was that really _spoiling_ them?

Phillip didn’t think so.

The next time it came up was a couple months later. P.T. had wanted to talk through some circus business over dinner and Phillip hadn’t been expecting Charity and the girls to be there as well.

Of course, since he hadn’t been anticipating seeing them, his pockets were empty of anything sugary. Caroline and Helen hadn’t minded the slightest bit. Phillip wasn’t surprised because they were sweet girls and he really didn’t think any amount of candy was going to spoil them.

That didn’t mean that he didn’t feel badly about it, however, and so he may have insisted that he had to buy everyone desert.

And then it was entirely possible that he bought chocolate for the two girls to share when they were all on their way home.

“You really do spoil them, don’t you?” Charity said and nudged her arm against his with a playful smile on her face. “They don’t need so much sugar, you know.”

It made him pause for a moment, his eyebrows creasing slightly in the middle. P.T. And his daughters didn’t notice that Phillip had stopped walking behind them and kept going. Charity however, stopped as well and looked questioningly at the young man.

“Do I?” He asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. “Do I really spoil them?”

Charity smiled a little unsurely. “Well, a little, yes. It is sweet of you, Phillip, but really, they don’t need it.”

“I - I’m sorry,” he said then. “I don’t mean to.”

“Would you mind if I asked _why_ you buy them so much candy?”

Phillip’s instinct was to respond defensively; to tell her that he also bought them pastries and ice cream sometimes so it wasn’t just candy. But he realized that it wasn’t really a defense at all before he even started to say it. Instead, he only grew increasingly confused when he realized that he genuinely didn’t know why he did it. All he knew was that he liked the warm feeling he got in his heart when something he gave them made them so happy. But if Charity didn’t like it… “I’ll stop. I don’t want to get them in trouble, truly.”

“Oh, Phillip, I know,” Charity laughed, then took his arm and started walking again, pulling him gently along with her. “They aren’t in any trouble and neither are you. I just wondered why, that’s all.”

He nodded slowly, wetting his lips as he pondered it. Why _did_ he like buying them candy so much? “I… I think maybe I just - oh, I don’t know. I didn’t have siblings growing up, you know, and I think that maybe I always wanted them.”

Phillip expected Charity to say something but when she didn’t… he just kept going.

“My parents always had money so… I suppose I’ve always had whatever I wanted. They gave me an allowance when I was young and then I started earning money on my own. But… I didn’t have anything to do with it.” He looked sideways at Charity, searching for some sign of confusion or amusement on her face. He was well aware of how it sounded to say that as if it were a problem. Spending all his time with his friends at the circus made him very hesitant to speak about any struggles he’d thought he had growing up. But he thought maybe Charity could understand. “It felt… pointless. I wasn’t doing anything with… well, anything.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to matter; wanted someone to look at me like I was… _good_ . And - and nothing I did was right and then I started _drinking_ and…” He trailed off then, gave a short and humorless laugh and stopped walking again.

Charity turned to face him and rested her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised. “Phillip. Are you saying buying candy makes you feel like you matter?”

“Well, to someone, yes,” he sputtered with an exaggerated shrug. “I just - Well, you can see how happy it makes them! And they’re happy because of something that _I_ did. I really do care about your daughters, Mrs. Barnum, and I - I suppose I like that I can make them happy and I just hoped that maybe if I always had candy available then they would be glad to see me.”

She surprised him by breaking into a soft laugh, which only grew when she saw his baffled expression. Then she reached forward and grabbed his shoulders, tugging him forward into a motherly hug. When she pulled back, she kept her hands on his shoulders and smiled fondly at him. “Phillip, you absolutely do not have to buy them candy for them to like you. We _love_ you and, for the record, they already thought of you as something like a big brother before you ever started all that.”

“Did they?” he questioned through the small grin he tried half-heartedly to keep back.

“Yes, they did. And they still will if you never give them another ice cream cone, understood?”

He didn’t answer for a few moments, then nodded as his grin grew even wider. “Does that mean no more candy then?”

Charity laughed again and wrapped both hands around one of his elbows to pull him along again. Phineas, Caroline, and Helen were already far ahead of them. “How about a compromise… you can buy as much as you’d like for the girls but there’s no reason it can’t be fruit every now and again. Or flowers, maybe. Young girls feel very grown up and special when their handsome big brother buys them flowers,” she told him playfully. “And you have to promise to remember that you don’t _need_ to give them a thing.”

“That seems fair,” Phillip chuckled, nodding along as she spoke. “Flowers, huh? I’ll remember that one for next time.”

And both of his little sisters were very glad when he did.


End file.
